CINCINNATI – As part of its commitment to offering members a digital-first healthcare experience – where, when, and how they want it, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio (Anthem) introduced the enhanced Anthem Skill to members of its commercial medical and dental health plans, allowing them to order prescription refills as well as other health plan actions. Through an Alexa-enabled device, like an Amazon Echo, or the Alexa app on a phone, the Anthem Skill is a 24/7, voice-activated way for members to also quickly access some of their health and dental plan benefit information.
”We work every day to create a data-driven, simple, and personal health care experience for our members,” said Steve Martenet, President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio. “Expectations have evolved and people want secure and easy-to-use access to their health information across multiple devices including phones, tablets, computers and virtual assistants. Enhancing the Anthem skill for Alexa is just the latest step in our digital-first approach to healthcare.”
Anthem is one of the first health plans to offer access to specific health plan information through an Anthem Skill. After linking their account, customers can ask Alexa questions about some of their Anthem Medical and Dental health plan benefits, such as:
- Health savings account (HSA) or health reimbursement account (HRA) balance
- Progress in meeting the plan’s deductible
- Plan’s out-of-pocket maximum
- Order identification card
- Prescription refill, renew and check order status
- Schedule, reschedule, and cancel a call back from member services
Members can also ask the Anthem Skill about more than 200 healthcare terms.
Members of Anthem’s commercial Medical and Dental health insurance plans who want to use the Anthem Skill for Alexa will have to link the Anthem Skill to their Anthem account, using the same ID and password they use to log into Anthem.com or the Anthem mobile app. The information given through the Anthem Skill is pulled from the same source as the member portal so there will not be a difference in the information available through these tools.
Anthem Skill can only access information from a member’s current Anthem-affiliated commercial health plan. Members will not be able to access information from other/previous health plans. The interactions with the Anthem Skill comply with federal HIPAA privacy rules, and any information stored is done so in an accumulated, de-identified manner.
Anthem will continue to enhance the Anthem Skill experience so that it offers information that will simplify healthcare and help consumers lead healthier lives. Anthem anticipates making health plan information available for its Vision plan later this year along with other updates. The company will continue to further enhance the Anthem Skill through consumer feedback to determine what types of information individuals would find useful in navigating their healthcare.
About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Community Insurance Company an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/anthemBCBS and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AnthemBlueCrossBlueShield.